The Heros' Awakening
by OwleyeProductions
Summary: What would you do if you were thrown into Hyrule, at the brink of war, and was expected to unite it before Ganondorf tries to overthrow the Royal Family? Tally must in a race against time to rouse the legendary Hero of Time. OCs, AU
1. Chapter One

**Hey. Alright, this is it, the LEGIT version of my LoZ fiction. I've tried countless times and now, finally, I'm happy with this one. Hope you all like it! Thanks for reading!**

Enter Hyrule

There's nothing much one remembers at the beginning of a dream, mainly the end, but when one is dreaming they usually come to smack dab in the middle of everything. It depends on what your dreaming about, but, regardless of the scenario, you never pay much attention to the who/what/when/whys. You simply know what's going on and what you have to do; not much background information is needed.

To Tally Littlefield, however, none of this was true in this particular dream. If it was a dream at all.

The adolescent girl was roused by a light hum and soft wings tickling her face. Her hazel eyes creaked open to find a white ball of light with translucent wings hovering impatiently above her. It swayed to and fro as if to shake her awake before it muttered to itself, "Stupid thing won't wake up." Tally groaned and swatted at the peculiar creature, her hand nearly missing it as she mistook it for a bug. Propping herself up on her elbows, she examined her surroundings dumbly, not sure of what to make of it all. She was laying in a bedding of decomposing leaves and ferns in the middle of some ancient forest, surrounded by enormous redwoods.

The annoying bug had returned and was bobbing up and down, inches from her face, as if it was deeply irritated by her incompetence. "What do you think you're doing here?" It asked, making no attempt to hide it's rudeness. "Uh, where's here?" Tally replied, oblivious to the bug's snobby attitude towards her. The bug sighed in exasperation. "_Here, _you stupid girl, is the Lost Woods, which is rather fitting to your idiocy. You are rather daft if I do say so myself." Tally glared at the bug. "Who are you, anyways? And what are you? Besides rude, of course."

"Me? Well I am Noc, and I am a fairy, mind you. And who might you be, besides an incompetent child, of course." Noc replied snidely. Tally sat up and crossed her legs, cocking her head curiously to the side. "A fairy? And you're a _boy?_" Having struck a sensitive nerve (boy fairies were rather rare and were called "sissy"), Noc began to quiver angrily, so much, in fact, that in a burst of blinding light, his form stretched into an adolescent teen around Tally's age. As the glare of the light faded, Tally gasped as she saw a ghostly blue boy standing in front of her, glaring at her furiously. "See? I'm a boy, ok? Just like you're a girl and those trees are trees."

"What the...how'd you _do _that? That's an incredible trick!" Confused by her lack of fear or anger or whatever Noc had expected, Noc simply rubbed the back of his neck in bewilderment. He thought she would've run away in fear of the sudden blinding light. That's what usually happened when a fairy changed forms. "Er, um, thanks I guess. It's something every fairy can do, it's no big deal." Actually, the fact that Tally could see him in his insubstantial state was quite remarkable; to most, Noc would be invisible right now. A fairy in it's "true" form was invisible to everyone except for their destined partner. If this meant that this girl could see Noc, then they were destined partners. Noc realized this with a wave of annoyance and dread as he glanced at the bright-eyed girl who couldn't stop staring at him.

He face palmed his forehead and groaned dreadfully. He was stuck with this idiot probably forever. "What's wrong?" Tally asked innocently, pushing her brown, chin-length hair behind her ear. "Nothing. Well, since you don't know where you are, you're presumably lost, no?" She nodded. Noc sighed again and looked at a patch of sky through the trees with his hands on his hips. "Then come on, I'll take you to a village or something." Tally stood up and stretched before looking Noc in the eyes. "Thank you. I'm sorry I'm such a pain." With puppy dog eyes like those, Noc could barely help himself from blushing and rubbing his neck as he quickly averted his eyes.

"Just, let's go already. The nearest village is miles away." On that note, Noc glowed a bright white and shrunk back to his regular form, leading the way into the forest.

* * *

"Fairies are created from _what?"_ Tally exclaimed in dismay as they made their way through the wood. "Magic springs." Noc said, making no attempt to hide his annoyance. "And you're made from water...?"

"No! I mean, yes, well, more or less that's right."

"So then why'd you say no in the first place?" She asked, smiling a clever, crooked smile. "Because the way _you_ said it. You said it like we were made out of plain old water."

"_Oh, _so it's _spring _water that makes it special."

"No you moron! I was created from MAGIC WATER, ok? Yes, it was a SPRING, but it was a MAGIC SPRING." Tally laughed hysterically at his rant and put her hands up in surrender. "Ok, ok. So who made you then? Unless, of course, you just happened to pop out of the _magic _water one day." Noc sighed in exasperation. "A Great Fairy."

"What-"

"That's a fairy that's more like a goddess, she's somewhere in between." He snapped, clearly getting more and more annoyed the longer time he spent with this girl. "Alright," Tally said slowly, thinking over everything, "if she made you and all the other fairies, then who made her? A goddess?" Noc had to stop to think for a second before he replied, "Well, yes, I suppose. Why do you-"

"Then who made the goddess?" She interrupted, determined to find out who created whom in this new world. "Jeez, I don't know! How would I? I'm just a simple fairy."

"But even that in itself is really cool. You're not 'plain', you're a really smart fairy that knows a whole lot more than I do. You're an extraordinary person, Noc." That fairy would've blushed if he'd been in his true form. "Uh, well, you're just daft in the head, that's why I probably know more than you. But, um, thanks."

The two continued to have similar conversations as they traveled through the Lost Woods until they finally made it to the Kokiri Village. By the time they had reached the tiny village, the day had faded into night. They entered the cathedral-like cave that sheltered the village from the world through a rather discreet entrance hidden amongst a cluster of boulders. Noc explained that the Great Deku Tree had created the cave in order to protect the child-like Kokiri from the dangers of the world since they would never grow enough to live on their own. They would forever remain children, living the sheltered life that the caring Deku Tree had made for them.

It was sad, but once Tally saw how cheerful and lively these children seemed, she almost envied them and their sheltered lives.

All blonde, the Kokiri wore green garbs and hats, usually going about their day barefoot. The cave had a wide opening in the top that was hardly visible from the outside so that the miniature forest that thrived in the lush cavern could get enough sun to sustain themselves. Because of the abundance of trees, the Kokiri had made tree houses that were carved into the trees themselves in which nearly all of them lived in (there were a few huts strewn across the village here and there). But the most prominent thing in the cavernous forest was the huge tree planted at the far end of the village, and this tree had a _face._

Squinty eyes, big nose, and fat lips. The face of a chubby man.

"Holy cow! What's that?" Tally exclaimed, wonderstruck, as she pointed at the Great Deku Tree. Noc buzzed in her face, peeved by her lack of manners and respect for the great tree. "Hasn't _anyone _ever told you it's rude to point?" He hissed. "That's the Great Deku Tree. He made this island and this cave. He controls the growth of all plants in Hyrule." Tally cocked her head to the side, as if staring at the tree at a different angle could help her understand. "We're on an island?"

"Yes." Noc snapped.

"How? We didn't need a boat or anything to get here..."

"It's the power of the Lost Woods. They're an enchanted forest that keeps humans away. The only reason _you _could make it was because you had me; if you didn't have me to lead the way, then you would've ended up by the cliffs outside of the forest."

"Wait," she started, sifting through what Noc told her, "why aren't humans allowed?" Noc was about to rant about how stupid she was when he was interrupted by a deep, rumbling, voice.

"Salutations, Noc. Who's this?"

Tally froze, but the fairy flitted over to the giant tree and replied peppily, "Tally, sir. It turns out she's my," he paused, dreading the word, "partner." The tree shook itself, as if it were nodding (a rather awkward motion, if you can imagine) and twisted a little towards Tally, who was still shocked at what she was witnessing. "Come here, dear. Let me get a good look at you." She gulped uneasily and stumbled towards the powerful tree.


	2. Chapter Two

**Turns out my school didn't block this website. Hahaha, silly school.**

The Sorrowful Eyes of Royalty

The Great Deku Tree leaned forward, the lattice of branches overhead quivering at the effort the motion took, showering Tally with leaves. Scared stiff, she barely noticed. "Now, m'dear, who might you be?" he rumbled kindly. "I-I am Tally Littlefield, sir." she quickly stammered. The tree grinned and chuckled at her frightened state. "Tally, there's no need to worry. Don't pay much attention to what our dear Noc has said about me; I'm not that great. I'm just a tree doing what's best for my family." Breathing a sigh of relief, Tally relaxed and looked up at the Great Deku Tree with a hopeful face. "So, is it all right if I stay for the night, please?" she asked, being as polite as possible. The Great Deku Tree laughed jovially. "Of course, dear, stay as long as you like. A friend of Noc's is a friend of mine. Miti, could you come here please?"

A lanky Kokiri girl with long blonde hair peeked out from behind a nearby tree; her fairy bobbing just above her head. "Yes?"

"Would you be so kind as to show Tally, here, a room?"

The girl's face lit up at the opportunity as she nodded happily. "Of course! C'mon, Tally, is it? I'll show you to your room!" Tally, delightfully surprised, smiled and followed her guide as she marched off into the village. The Great Deku Tree smiled as well and bid them farewell, however, Noc was still puzzled and had one more question for the wise tree. "Sir, is it true that Tally and I are partners? That I'm her guardian?" The Deku Tree turned, ever so slightly, towards Noc and replied kindly, "Yes, Noc. It seems to be true."

"But, sir, she's a _human._ She's obviously not from here, and she asks the _stupidest _questions, it's like raising a child!" Noc sighed anxiously, "What am I supposed to do?" The fairy fluttered in place, his wings beating rapidly as he spoke. He was flustered, to say the least, moreover, he was lost. The tree understood is desperate plea, nonetheless, there wasn't much he could do for the confounded fairy. "Fate has a strange way of working, my little friend, there aren't many explanations. I can give, one, however. Tally was brought here with a purpose, and whether she knows it or not, it's a purpose nevertheless, and you, Noc, were brought into the world with a purpose as well. You were born to be Tally's guardian. She is here to help us, but in order to do that, she needs someone to help _her._ Someone that will be loyal and wise. That someone is you, Noc. She needs you, and, whether _you_ know it or not, you need her. It was Fate. Now, run along, my little friend, and take to heart what I've said."

Noc, dumbfounded and worrisome, nodded and bid the tree a faint farewell as he flitted after, what was supposedly, the saviour of Hyrule.

* * *

"Oh there you are, Noc! We've been looking for you." Tally greeted the fairy as he fluttered up to them, deep in thought. "Yeah, where've you been?" Miti inquired curiously, snatching a stick and dragging it through the loamy earth as they made their way through the village. "Hm? Oh, nowhere, just, talking." Noc replied in a far away tone. "Oh, uh, ok. So, Tally, what brings ya here?" the Kokiri asked, quickly changing the subject. "Um, no particular reason. I just, uh, wound up here I guess and luckily Noc was there to help, so he brought me here, and, here I am."

"Yeah, here you are..." Noc muttered under his breath. The other two didn't hear so Miti said, "Ya don't say? Hmm, well, maybe you were knocked unconscious by a three-headed bokoblin, but were saved by a great forest spirit that drove it away, and, and, um...you're actually a princess! From...somewhere, oh, I don't know, and you're here looking for your lost love that's _actually _a werewolf! And, and-"

"All right, Miti, don't hurt yourself now." Noc advised with a laugh, having lost his train of thought due to Miti's banter. Tally, who had been laughing the whole time, giggled and said, "Well, _that's _always a possibility. If I run out of ideas, I'll resort to that." Miti shrugged and smiled slyly. "You never know, Tally." On that note, Miti waved her stick in the air shouting loudly in a sing-songy voice, "MAKE WAY FOR THE _LOVELY _PRINCESS, TALLY!" The Kokiri surrounding them either raised their eyebrows, scoffed, laughed, or even joined in. Soon, they had a whole group of blonde kids parading through the village yelling, "MAKE WAY FOR THE _BEAUTIFUL _PRINCESS! MAKE WAY FOR THE _LOVELY, _TALLY!"

Utterly flattered and at lost for words, Tally just grinned giddily and blew kisses to no one in particular. Noc just laughed and laughed all the way to Tally's room.

* * *

By the time Tally had reached the guest tree house (which was really just a spare, they didn't really _expect _guests on Forest Haven, which was what the island was known as) all the Kokiri except Miti had dispersed and returned to their own leafy abodes. As she climbed up the ladder, Miti reminded her what time breakfast was at and bid her a goodnight and left, still humming their little chant and waving the stick in the air. Tally shook her head with a smile and pushed aside the drape that hung in the doorway and ducked inside. Surrounded by lovely earthy aromas, she blundered about the threshold until Noc plainly told her that she was right next to a candle and that matches were beside it. Using Noc to light the bedside table on which said candle and matches lay, Tally lit the match and brought it to the wick of the candle and ignited it.

Alas, the darkness lifted as the candle illuminated the room.

Quaint and simple, the only furniture that occupied the small space was a bed, a little bedside table, a desk, and a stool. Atop the desk sat a tiny red flower in a small blue vase and a bucket of water for Tally to wash up with. With a small smile Tally plopped down on her bed and kicked off her leather boots and tugged off her thick red tunic. "I like this place. Cozy." Noc drifted towards her, his delicate wings beating sleepily; she hesitantly held up a hand and, to her surprise, the usually snarky fairy gratefully took roost in her palm. The second he did, a precious warmth spread throughout her body and her hand tingled in a silly, relaxing way.

Noc's wings drooped down to his sides as Tally asked, "Noc, what was the Deku Tree telling you?" The second she asked that, the fairy perked up and, with a guarded voice, replied, "Nothing...why do _you _want to know?" She brought her hand closer to her body as she sat with her legs crossed, and shrugged. "I dunno, I was just wondering. You don't have to get all defensive, sheesh." Happy and pleasantly surprised that she wasn't pressing him to explain, he wrapped his wings around him and nestled deeper into Tally's hand. Regardless of his doubts of her, it was still nice to have a companion now; now he wouldn't have to sleep alone or spend countless nights flying through the forest, desperately searching for someone, never knowing who that someone was. Now he knew. And as he drifted off into slumber, he knew that the Great Deku Tree had been right all along, as he usually was. Tally was his partner. However, he wasn't so sure about the whole "saviour" thing.

As Noc dozed in Tally's hand, which she cradled close to her, she did otherwise. Being an insomniac, she never really _could _sleep very well, and with all that had occurred recently, she had _loads _to thing about. So she spent the majority of the night sorting through the details of her day and replaying scenes over and over in her head. And when the flickering candle dwindled and eventually died out, all hints of drowsiness disappeared as fear gripped her and forbid her to sleep. Yes, she was afraid of the dark. With Noc as her only source of light, she treasured the soft glow with all her might as the darkness of the night seeped in from the shadows of her. Her wild and over-active imagination tortured her with "threats" of shadows that came in from her window and what might be lurking in the inky darkness around her.

She battled these fears and thoughts with all the willpower she could muster, trying desperately to trick her brain and imagination that all was calm and that she was safe. In reality, of course, she was, regardless, her imagination shrieked at her otherwise. Finally, she managed to clear her mind and meditate, focusing solely on Noc's warm glow and the delightful sensation that coursed through her, until, at long last, she drifted off into a light sleep. She welcomed it with open arms.

* * *

Tally's hazel eyes fluttered open to find herself in a posh chamber room surrounded by grand furniture of mostly purple shades. On the four-poster bed in the corner sat a girl of at least seventeen and a woman of maybe fifty; they appeared to be mother and daughter. They turned their turquoise blue gaze on her as if they had been waiting for Tally; maybe they had. "Hello, Tally, at long last you've come." Greeted the woman with a relieved smile. Telling from the woman's exotic gown and regal crown, she was obviously royalty, but the way the girl was dressed in skin tight grey clothes, and a white scarf wrapped around her neck, you would've thought she was a ninja or a warrior of some kind. Regardless of her getup, her eyes still held the same knowing, and, rather mystic expression that her mother did. And something else, Tally, thought, but couldn't put her finger on it.

"Hi. Um, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but, who are you? And where-"

"Look, we don't have time to explain everything, you runt, so listen-"

"Zelda! Hush! How could you be so rash with our guest?" The woman scolded, and her daughter, Zelda, bit her lip impatiently and glared at her feet. "Oh, I'm sorry..." Tally offered, unsure, but the woman smiled at her with such pure kindness that, even her rude daughter looked up. "Tally, darling, you don't need to be sorry. We have been waiting six years for you and we have never been happier now that you are here. Let me introduce us, my daughter, who I apologize for being so brusque," she shot a look at her daughter, who sheepishly returned to staring at her feet, "is Zelda. And I am Ursala." Tally smiled weakly at the two and, to her dismay, Zelda returned the smile with a shy one of her own.

"Alright, but, why have you been waiting, what's wrong?"

Ursala sighed sadly and reached for her daughter's hand. "Hyrule is not what it used to be. Six years ago, disputes broke out between the different tribes and clans that call Hyrule home and we have, because of the racism and other disputes, been divided. It's now the Hylians against all other races. Long ago, my great-grandmother saw this happen and what ensued was horrible, horrible destruction, so we took action beforehand by sending a great warrior into the future in vain hopes of preventing the destruction. However, it seems like he alone won't be able to save our country. That is why we have brought you here, Tally."

"Wait, what? I'm supposed to save your country! But, but..."

"Yes, we know, you're not ready, but that's why we've brought you a year before our warrior wakes, so you will have time to sharpen your skills and, more importantly, bring together those who've broken away." Ursala said soothingly, nonetheless, her efforts didn't have much affect on Tally because she was even more scared than before. At last, the ever impatient Zelda spoke.

"Look, Tally, this time next year a great brute called Gannondorf will rise to power and wreak havoc on Hyrule. Link, the warrior, will need to have the Master Sword before he can fight Gannondorf, so we're asking you to get the sword so he can use it, alright?" Her pithy question had shaken Tally, but, at last, she seemed to understand what she was supposed to do here. After trying to solve all the riddles and metaphors people used to drop hints, a nice, blunt, question was what she had wanted and what she had gotten.

"Ok, how do you want me to do that? Where's the sword?"

Ursala gave Zelda a warning glance, but her daughter ignored it and replied plainly, "It's here. Beneath the castle. But we can't unlock the Chamber unless we have the Seal. Each tribe and clan or whatever has a piece and there's no way in hell they're going to give them to us, so we need _you _to go around and impress or bring together or WHATEVER they need you to do to get each tribe's piece of the Seal. Think you can do that?"

Tally immediately nodded, her determination growing. She understood, at least, almost everything Zelda said. "How many are there?"

"Seven," Ursala interjected, "Earth, Fire, Water, Sun, Shadow, Sky, and Light. We have Light already, it's in its place in the Chamber door. The rest are scattered throughout the country."

"Ok, I just have one more question, though. You people are royalty, right, so then why are you," Tally looked at Zelda, "dressed like you're going somewhere, like you're leaving?" That something else Tally had noticed in Zelda's eyes was actually bitter sadness that shone as she fought back tears. "I'm running away. I need to help my people and be ready whenever Link comes. Don't worry, Tally, I'll be in touch." Ursala looked awfully sad at her daughter's words, but also painfully proud. Tally could tell this was very hard for the two, and going to be _very _hard for her. With that, Zelda rose and pulled out a necklace from her pocket and put it around Tally's head. She stood back and smiled, squeezing Tally's hand as her vision began to blur.

As her vision completely faded into darkness, she heard the girl's voice whisper, "_You are more powerful than you know, Tally Littlefield, and not all power means the power of a weapon."_

Great, Tally thought, another metaphor.

* * *

**Sorry it took me so long to write! I was gone for Spring Break and school has been crazier than ever. I'll try to be quicker when updating. OH and for some reason Fanfiction wouldn't allow me to edit any of my stories for a whole WEEK so I've had this baby waiting for you guys. I've been very antsy, alas, here it is! I hope you guys enjoyed :)**


	3. Chapter Three

**Thank God it's spring.**

The First Seal

Tally awoke with a fright, almost squishing the fairy in her hand. Noc beat his wings frantically and popped out of Tally's tight grip with a terrified yelp. He quivered angrily, so much in fact, that in a brilliant burst of light, he had resumed the form of an adolescent boy. The transparent human version of Noc had nappy hair and a furious glint in his eyes as he asked angrily, "What the hell was that!"

Tally panted desperately and wiped the chilled sweat off her forehead as she recollected her dream/encounter (she hadn't decided which it was yet) with Queen Ursala and Princess Zelda. She stared, dumbfounded, at a pale patch of sunlight that came in from her window that slinked lazily along the lichen encrusted wall in front of her. Slowly calming down, Noc asked again, this time with more concern, why she had freaked. She finally brought herself to answer when her fingers carelessly found a jade stone dangling from her neck by a piece of leather; the events of her night coming back in a surging flood of dizzying memories and emotions.

"I'm supposed to save Hyrule."

A wave of dread washed over the fairy boy as the Deku Tree's words reverberated throughout his head. "Wha-what?" Tally grew more and more confident in her statement as she remembered her encounter with the two women (she had decided on it being an encounter since she had physical proof that she had been there).

"I talked to Zelda and Ursala last night -in their castle I think- and they told me I was supposed to get the Master Sword and get ready for when Link and Gannondorf come."

Noc gave the girl a look of indescribable confusion and utter disbelief. "You're crazy," he said with a shake of his head, "it was just a dream. Weird things happen in dreams. I highly doubt you visited with the _queen_ and _princess_ of _Hyrule. _How could you go there and back and still have time to fall asleep? Hyrule Castle is days away!"

Tally simply shook her head. "No, I was there, Noc. I have to _do _this, whatever it is. Gannondorf is going to pretty much destroy Hyrule and kill _everybody _if Link and I aren't ready_."_

Growing impatient and defying, Noc shot back, "You don't know what you're talking about, Tally! You're not from here! Why should you care and how should you know what's going to happen?"

"I don't even _know _where I'm from, Noc! As far as I know, Hyrule is my home. But I _do_ know what's going to happen because Zelda _told _me. This has happened before, Noc, Ursala's great-"

"IT WAS ALL A DREAM! NONE OF THAT WAS REAL, TALLY, OK?" Noc shouted viciously, kicking a stool at the wall. Tally glared angrily at the fairy boy as he paced to and fro, not daring to look at her. She was incompetent, idiotic, hallucinating. How was _she _supposed to know about the Seven Year War when she couldn't even remember where she was from and how she got here? How-

"Noc," Tally said calmly, interrupting the fairy boy's furious train of thought, "I can prove I was there, at the castle."

He stopped abruptly and rolled his eyes. "Yeah right, I'd like to see the personal letter that Princess Zelda wrote inviting you-" Noc stopped immediately as Tally tugged off the necklace that the princess had given her. His mouth fell open in amazement at the glowing jade rock in Tally's hand. "How'd you get that? That's the legendary Royal Family heirloom; there've been only stories of that, no one's ever seen the actual thing..."

"Princess Zelda gave it to me." Tally replied serenely, seeing that she might have finally gotten through to her fairy. He crept closer, as if transfixed by this peculiar stone and gazed at it with such an intensity that Tally grew uncomfortable and asked, "Why is it so important?" Without even daring to take his eyes off it, Noc replied quietly, "In times of trouble, the princess of Hyrule would use that to communicate with allies if they went rogue. Only the trusted Sheikah and the Royal Family themselves have ever seen that necklace; as far as everyone knew, it was just a myth. But now..." Connecting the dots, Tally cocked her head and fingered the rock curiously with newfound realization.

"Now there's proof. The legend is real." She finished for him, locking eyes with the fairy boy. He nodded solemnly. "Ok, so, what does it _mean_? Can I talk to the princess or something now?"

And then, as if on cue, the jade rock began to hum as it's usually soft glow increased to a dazzling source of light that illuminated the dim room.

"_Yeah, runt, sorry I didn't tell you earlier, we ran out of time."_

Noc and Tally stared at the stone in awe as the same brusque, yet, somehow kind voice from Tally's encounter emitted from the piece of enchanted rock. Noc's jaw dropped once again, but Tally was, strangely, not as surprised as her fairy. She knew that necklace was odd, she just didn't know how. Well, now Tally did.

"Zelda?" Tally murmured at the stone.

"_Yes?"_

"So it _is _you! It wasn't a dream!" She exclaimed, happy to know that she wasn't utterly mad.

"_Of course it's me, Tally, who else? And, uh, sorry to burst your bubble but it technically _was _a dream. We used telepathy to talk to you and projected the images of ourselves and our surroundings so you wouldn't freak. You really did meet us though, and everything we talked about is real too. I hope you remember that."_

A little confused, Tally's face fell, nonetheless she replied, "Yes." Zelda's voice sounded relieved. "_Thank the goddesses! Good! I thought I'd have to bring you up to speed again. Ok, so you ready to go 'cause you need to get a move on; no point in dawdling around here."_

"Of course I remember, give me some more credit, jeez!"

The body-less voice laughed a tired, hearty laugh that made Tally feel good at her accomplishment.

"_All right, so you might as well pick up the Earth Seal on your way out, since the Kokiri adore you so freakin much. Then you should head south to Death Mountain to negotiate with the Gorons. And don't worry, Death Mountain isn't as scary as it sounds...as long as you don't piss off the Gorons. Good luck though!"_

The dazzling light faded as Zelda's voice ceased talking, leaving a purposeful Tally in the midst of a confused and doubtful Noc. The girl slipped the necklace on and got up without a word, adorning her red tunic and boots. As she made a beeline for the doorway, Noc, who had been reduced to silence, finally spoke up. "Where are you going? You're not seriously going to do this, are you?" Tally shrugged.

"Might as well. No one else is going to do it. So are you coming or not?"

The fairy boy rolled his eyes, and, with a sigh, shrank back into his usual fairy form.

* * *

Tally crept through the sleepy village as dawn tickled the horizon a rosy pink, careful not to disturb any of the childish villagers. She felt bad for leaving the adorable Kokiri without saying goodbye, especially after her splendid reception the day before, nonetheless, she felt an urgency to get the Earth Seal and leave as soon as she could; saying goodbye would take forever.

She had just managed to sneak around the base of the Deku Tree when a quiet rumbling voice stopped them.

"Ah, Tally, it seems to me that you've finally managed to discover you're purpose here."

Feeling guilty and embarrassed, Tally tip-toed over to the tree's front and peered sheepishly up at the wooden face. "Y-yes, sir." The tips of the Great Deku Tree's mouth turned up in a knowing smile as he replied, "Well good! I thought I'd have to hold onto the Earth Seal for _another_ year! It seems to me that you will have more use of it than I; here, take it." With that, the tree's canopy rustled as a spidery branch slithered out and stopped inches in front of Tally, unfurling it's prickly twigs to reveal a dull green rock fragment. Tally tentatively plucked it from the branch and it slithered back to the lattice-work of branches overhead. The fragment, which fit nicely in her palm, was a strange, diamond shape with jagged edges and a peculiar sheen that sent shivers through her body.

In fact, the shivers were constant now as the peculiar sheen of the Seal was now a harsh glow that, with a shudder, melted into Tally's hand, sending a warm, soothing, feeling throughout her body. She now fully understood what she had to do, it was suddenly so clear, as if the strange phenomona that had just occurred had sharpened her understanding of things. She was aware of Noc's uncertainty in her, and also his slowly growing fondness of her as well. She was aware of the grandfatherly affection the Great Deku Tree gave and the innocent admiration of the Kokiri she was about to leave behind. All the things she had been aloof to before, were now brought into the open.

"You have been given the gift of Empathy. Use it well in your travels as you learn, train, and unite. Now go, my little friends, and good luck!"

Without a word, the odd girl and the unsure fairy left the sheltered world of the Kokiri Village behind them as they embarked on the journey to Death Mountain to retrieve the Fire Seal.

* * *

**Okay, now I know the whole Seal thing was weird, but trust me, it'll make more sense in the next chapter. I promise I'm not crazy and writing down whatever random crap that pops into my head. I won't steer you wrong. I'd like to give a big thanks to The-world-needs-peace for reviewing and giving advice; it helped a whole lot! Read, review, and enjoy! Thanks a ton!**

**-Owl Eye Productions**


	4. Chapter Four

**What does empathy mean to you?**

The Present State of Hyrule

Tally and Noc traversed soundlessly through the Lost Woods until they finally, after what seemed like endless miles of forest, broke through the tree-line and found themselves in a sort of treeless rift that separated the redwoods from the oaks up ahead. Tally's gaze swept curiously over the clearing as she tried to identify the odd feeling it gave her. Fear? Anxiety? Urgency? Or maybe even wariness, like someone was watching her? Yes, maybe it was a mixture of that, but as she tentatively strode across the narrow clearing, she felt like she was leaving someone, or something, behind.

Noc sighed as he turned slightly around, casting one last regretful glance at the redwood trees before he fluttered sadly on. "I'll miss the redwoods; those are the closest things we have to the Great Deku Tree." Tally looked over her shoulder and wondered aloud, "How?"

"The Great Deku Tree's roots cover the whole of Hyrule; they are intwined with every tree, even if only a little. The redwoods, which only grow in the Lost Woods, have the strongest parts of his roots growing with their own. That's how he controls the growth of all trees." Noc replied, waiting patiently for Tally at the other end of the clearing, near the humble oaks that stood in the redwoods' shadow. "So every tree is a part of the Deku Tree?" Noc sighed once more, his patience rapidly running out.

"Yes. Now could we _please _get a move on, Tally?"

Tally waved her hand dismally as she crossed the narrow clearing and entered the leafy shade of the oak forest. "Calm down, we've got all day."

* * *

They spent the majority of the day trekking through the forest, which Noc claimed to be the Faron Forest, until Tally insisted they take a break and rest when a lush spring came into sight. Skipping eagerly towards the serene spring, Tally tugged off her boots and rolled up her leggings before plunging her feet into the water and plopping down in the soft grass. The water, which was warm and wonderful, rushed past her calves as the posh spring fed into a creek that creeped its way through the forest.

Then she noticed something off.

As Tally peered into the moving water, she observed a green pattern of swirling lines on her _feet. _Quickly pulling her legs out of the water, Tally stuck her feet out straight and studied the green designs on both of her feet in shock. Around both ankles was a thick, leaf green band that snaked its way down the flat of her foot, shooting off in random directions forming plant-like curls.

"Uh...Noc, can you come here for a second?"

The fairy, who had been resting on a nearby leaf, muttering things to himself, floated over to the girl, concern growing slightly at her tone. "What is-oh," he stopped short, wings drooping a little in dismay, "oh Goddess, what _is _that?" Tally brought her legs in towards her and cradled her right foot in her hands; her fingers tracing the smooth, shimmery, lines. "I dunno, Noc, but they weren't there before." She finally answered. The fairy vibrated and in a burst of light, his form morphed into that of a teen boy as he more closely examined the odd markings on Tally's feet.

"Empathy..." He muttered to no one in particular as he sat back and crossed his legs; his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

Tally wrapped her arms around her legs and looked over her knees, studying the newly formed tattooes with absolute interest. Thinking long and hard about the Deku Tree's words, Tally tried to figure out why she had tattoos on her feet and how they could even remotely coincide with the word "empathy," if this was the Seal's doing (which is what she suspected). Well, as far as she knew, the definition was something along the lines of being able to identify certain emotions in another, like understanding how someone felt.

So tattoos on her feet were empathetic because...?

She hadn't a clue. She wasn't very bright when it came to metaphors. Start small, she thought. All right, so the swirling, plant-like designs obviously indicated earth, and the earth was the basis of everything. Everything grew from it, everything lived on it, so...

Ugh.

Tally sighed in exasperation and started thinking again. Maybe it was only plant-like designs because it was the _Earth _Seal, maybe earth didn't have any ties to empathy? She then focused on the body part they were on: the feet. Since empathy meant understanding others feelings, maybe the tattoos, being on her feet, implied something a little more literal...

Like the phrase, _"Put yourself in their shoes."_

That was it! To be empathetic, she had to put herself in other's situations, otherwise, how else could one understand how someone else was feeling? A broad smile stretched across her face.

* * *

"You know, Tally, you might actually be on to something." Remarked Noc as he pondered Tally's newfound explanation as they strolled through the Faron Forest.

"Surprising, right?" She beamed, sliding on her boots and rolling down her leggings. As they talked, they loyally followed the babbling creek that lead them on a shorter trail then their previous one.

"Indeed. Do you think it was the Seal's doing? It _did _melt into your hand after all."

Tally nodded as she remembered the wonderful sensation it gave her when it did. "I'm positive it was, Noc. Where else would it go? Quite frankly, I think it's rather convenient; now I don't have to carry that piece of rock everywhere I go or worry about someone stealing it."

The fairy boy, who was still in his transparent human form, nodded in agreement. "You've got a point. I wonder what the Fire Seal will look like, then? Or where it will be? Hah, how'd you like a big red flame in the middle of your forehead?" Noc chuckled to himself as Tally's hands flew up to her forehead and a look of fear flashed across her face before it turned into a scowl as she punched the fairy boy's shoulder (which was, surprisingly, substantial). "Not funny, Noc!"

He laughed and shrugged nonchalantly. "Never know, princess, you're going to be walkin' around with _seven _tattoos sooner or later; one's _bound _to be on your face."

"Noooo, I'm going to have _six _tattoos since the Light Seal is already at the castle. Besides, they're probably going to be pretty." She retorted smugly, sticking out her tongue at Noc. He rolled his eyes and flicked Tally on the forehead, and kin-like bickering ensued.

* * *

By the time twilight had descended and little pinpricks of light twinkled faintly, the pair had covered miles upon miles of forest and there energy was spent. To Tally's delight, a rustic village was summiting up ahead as they climbed an ever-steepening trail through the Faron Forest. Noc, who was wary and suspicious of the village that quickly came into view, protested that they should spend the night in the woods, however, his opinion was ignored when a kind boy offered them a place to stay.

The boy, of at least nine or so, had been packing up his large bundles of firewood when he spotted the girl and her fairy, and, being a kind-hearted and unassuming farm boy, the lad offered up his proposition with good intentions. Tally gratefully took him up on his offer and they were soon Ordon Village bound (that's what the kid called it, anyways).

"So, where you from, uhh..."

"Tally." She offered helpfully.

"Tally! Great name! So where you from, Tally?" The boy inquired, shifting the weight of the bundles on his back as they quickly walked through the darkness; their only source of direction coming from the gate to the village that was lit with two lanterns on either side.

"I'm from uh...," she glanced at her fairy, who whispered something in her ear, "Clock Harbour Town."

The boy's face lit up with curiousity and excitement. "Oh really? That's pretty neat! We don't get many travelers from Clock Harbour; that's awaaaaays away. You Hylian or from some other place?"

This time, Tally didn't need Noc's help; the more clueless she could play, the better. Being a foreigner was the perfect excuse. "Some other place."

"Ooooh, like where?"

Tally shot a pleading look at Noc, who just chuckled and whispered, "You got yourself into this mess, you can get yourself out." She groaned and rolled her eyes before returning the boy's question with a made up name.

"Tookuru Island. It's _very _far from here." Made up or not, the boy already adored Tally.

"Well, Miss Tally from Tookuru Island, my name's Bael from Ordon Village and this," their procession came to a halt as Bael gestured grandly to the village as they stood under the wooden gate, "is Ordon Village."

The lantern light shone brightly on them as Tally's gaze swept over the humble village of white-washed houses and patched up huts that were spread out in the wide, fenced-in space. Bael flipped his shaggy blonde hair out of his striking blue eyes as he grinned at Tally and started off through the village with a happy little skip in his step.

That happy little skip quickly vanished as a hoarse voice bellowed, "BAEL, YOU BETTER NOT BE DAWDLIN', YA HEAR? YOU STILL GOT CHORES TO DO AND YA ALREADY SPENT ENOUGH TIME DAYDREAMIN' IN THE WOODS SO HURRY-"

Bael didn't wait for the rough woman, who was shouting at the poor lad from her porch step, to finish, he simply grabbed Tally's hand and sprinted past the other houses like a spooked rabbit being chased by a rabid dog. They arrived at the porch steps of a white-washed cottage, panting and shaking, Bael especially, as he took off his heavy load with shaky hands as the brusque woman scolded him some more.

A little heavy, the middle-aged woman had curvy hips and and fierce green eyes that bored holes into Bael's bowed head as he took her scolding. At last, she was done and sent him off to milk the goats and as he did, he gave Tally an apologetic look before scurrying away. Tally smiled and nodded encouragingly, feeling awfully bad for the poor soul, but also terribly worried for her own. This lady was a force to be reckoned with.

To her surprise, the woman's harsh green eyes softened as she watched Bael run off to a small barn with a smile. And her gentle gaze didn't change or even falter when she returned to Tally standing at her porch steps. "I'm sorry 'bout that, sweet pea, Bael's head is _always _in the clouds. Now, m'dear, what can I do for you?"

Shifting her weight uncomfortablly, Tally replied quietly, "I'm in need of a place to stay and I was wondering if maybe-"

"Don't say another word. Come in, come in. What's your name?" The woman swept her in and, before Tally knew it, she was seated at a polished wooden table with goat milk being poured for her. "Um, Tally, m'am, and thank you, you don't need-"

"Nonsense, Tally, you look exhausted! It's my pleasure." She remarked with a warm smile. What ever happened to that snappy lady that was yelling at Bael, Tally wondered to herself. As she took a gulp of the cold milk, the woman asked, "So, Tally, how long you think you'll be stayin'?" Tally wiped off her milk-moustache, relishing the delicious taste of the liquid. "Just a night would be great, m'am. I've got a ways to go."

"Quit all that 'm'am' stuff, the name's Belle."

Tally smiled a thanks to Belle as she poured another glass for her.

* * *

By the time Bael came in, hauling two buckets of goat milk, Belle had already begun frying chicken and pumpkin rinds and had a steaming hot loaf of bread already on the table for Tally to enjoy. Belle ordered Bael to take the milk around back to an ice chest and resumed preparing dinner when she asked, "So Tally, where ya headed? Sounds somewhere important."

Tally tore off another chunk of bread and popped it into her mouth. Noc, who had insisted on hiding, was tucked away in Tally's pocket. "Death Mountain, or somewhere around there." Belle winced and gave the girl a look of bitterness before quickly returning to her cooking with raised eyebrows. "Now why would you want to go there, Tally? It's very far away, plus the Gorons are an awful breed, they're not too kind to the likes o' you." She replied seriously, stealing a glance at Tally out of the corner of her eye.

Tally shifted her weight uncomfortably in her chair and looked down at the polished wood of the table. "I, uh, have business there. But, what are Gorons? Why are they so awful?" Belle turned around and wiped her hands on her apron, looking Tally straight in the eye. "Tally, dear, the Gorons are _not _friends. They killed a whole village 'bout five ago _for no reason whatsoever. _All Hyrule was rearin' to bring 'em to justice but then they threaten'd to blow that Death Mountain up and sink Hyrule so we had no choice but to listen. Oh, Tally, it was such a terrible time. Y'know, they were the ones who started this here separation between the races, and they be the leaders of all them races, too."

"What separation?" Tally asked quietly, afraid of the fierce mixture of emotions in Belle's voice as she spoke. The woman raised her eyebrows in dismay. "You really don't know?"

Tally nodded.

Belle shook her head in surprise and returned to preparing the food. "Well, five years ago, after those retched Gorons went and destroyed that village and threaten'd us all with Death Mountain, they went and met with all the leaders of them other races -like the Zoras and Kokiri and Yeti and Gerudo and so on. Anyways, they suggested that they, the Gorons, should go to Castle Town and settle things with the King and Queen, since they claimed to be innocent. So they all agreed on it, thinking them Gorons were innocent and good-hearted, and the king, Darunia, along with some others, went to Castle Town. But when they got to the castle, surprise surprise, they destroyed half o' Castle Town as well, thinking they were so sneaky that they could beat us from the inside. Yet, despite their struggle, we managed to kick them out and banish them from ever returning. Well they were so angry that they decided to not be part of Hyrule anymore, so they called up anotha' meeting and declared the Gorons as a separate nation of some sort."

Belle, who had been twisting her apron tightly in her hands, glared for a few moments out her kitchen window before casting her gaze vengefully at the floor. Tally, who had been reduced to silence, stared straight ahead, stunned at what she had heard. How could a country be so torn? Corrupt? However, Belle wasn't finished.

"And then they go spreadin' hateful lies about us Hylians, us innocent, average people that haven't done a thing to them, sayin' we're filthy, hypocritical, thieves, who do everything for themselves. And they manage to get all the _other _races thinkin' that so now they think they can go and do whatever they want! So what do they do? They start killing off farmers, raiding villages, and when we call them out on it, they say they're _innocent! _The nerve of those low-life bastards! Next thing we know, it's us Hylians pitted against everyone else! And that, Tally, is why you shouldn't go to Death Mountain if you know what's good for you. Please excuse my language from before but what be goin' on is simply not _right."_

* * *

After a slighty awkward dinner, Belle had Bael prepare a bed for Tally and sent them off to sleep while she checked on the livestock. The boy showed Tally to their shared room and made sure her cot was comfortable. It was only about an hour later when he finally spoke again. Quietly, in a hushed voice, he asked Tally as he lay on his bed across the room from her, "Do you really believe those things my mama said, about the races and stuff?"

Tally thought for a while before replying, "No."

Bael sat up in his bed and looked at her. "You wanna hear the truth? What _really _happened?"


	5. Chapter Five

Secrets and Stones

Tally stared through the dimly lit room (their light source a barely flickering candle on Bael's bedside table) and directly into the young boy's striking blue eyes. They were solemn, serious, more so than any child's should be. "Yes," She answered in a hushed tone, her curiosity stirring. Bael slid out of his bed with a mischievous agility and crept across the room and clambered onto Tally's cot. The wooden skeleton of the cot creaked sickeningly for a silent moment, but to their relief, it didn't give to the combined weight of the two. The shadows that fell across the lad's face made him seem older, wiser, and very scared as he began to talk, saying, "All right, I heard from a special source that what _really _happened, was that the Gorons were _framed._"

Tally cocked her head to the side and screwed up her eyes in the opaquely lit room. "By who? Who could frame an entire _race? _That's a pretty big undertaking." He shrugged. "He, I mean," his hands flew to his mouth and his eyes grew wide, "um..." Sympathy and understanding filled Tally's smile as she whispered, "You know, it's ok. You don't have to tell me who it is." He sighed in relief and smiled a thanks. "Well, go on!" She urged, eager for him to tell her the secrets he knew. He nodded.

"Well, my friend said it was this strange woman that could change form, a shapeshifter I think was what he called it, that tricked everyone into blaming the Gorons for all those things. He said she turned into a Goron and destroyed the village, leaving a few behind to spread rumours, and then when they went to meet with the King and Queen, he said that the woman and some other 'shapeshifters' started attacking everyone! They were responsible for the other things, too! I know it, I mean, those Gorons wouldn't hurt anyone unprovoked! They're kind and gentle and...uh-oh." Bael's hand absently covered his mouth as he realized he had revealed too much. How would an ordinary farm boy know so much about another race if he hadn't ever left his village before?

"Bael," Tally started slowly, her eyes gradually meeting his as she took notice of his last few words, "is your friend a Goron?" The lad's once large eyes slowly narrowed and creased, giving Tally a defensive, frightened look. "Tally, you don't understand! He was hurt and lost; he's an orphan! I couldn't just leave him there, dying in the forest, I mean, there was that weird gooey orangey stuff oozing out from all over his body, and that fairy couldn't do much to help..."

"A fairy!" Tally exclaimed, a muffled "oof!" emitting from her pocket as she almost tumbled out of the cot in her dismay. Bael waved his hands and hissed a fierce, "Shhhhh!" When she had regained her balance on the rickety cot, Tally whispered urgently, "Bael, what the heck is going on? A fairy, an orphan Goron?"

"Please don't be mad at me, I was just trying to help! I didn't know what to do and neither did Iren-"

"Bael! Calm down! I'm not mad, ok?" Tally told the boy firmly, grabbing his shoulders and looking him straight in the eye. Just as she did, their pathetic excuse for a candle spluttered and died, leaving them in total darkness in the window-less room. "Aw, crud. I can't see a thing." Bael muttered, however, as if on cue, Noc poked out of Tally's shirt pocket and fluttered out, hovering in front of the two. "Noc! What are you doing?" Tally hissed, grabbing for the fairy, but her efforts were in vain. "Well, excuuuuse me, princess, I was just trying to help. See? Now you can talk to each other now." And Noc was right; thanks to the white light he gave off, Tally and Bael were now illuminated, more or less. Seeing this, Tally was thankful, but the same paranoia from the night before washed over her, as if something were going to snatch her from the darkness.

Edging towards Noc's light a tad bit more, Tally said, "Ok, ok, you've got a point. Thanks." Smug, the fairy continued to hover between the two, illuminating their conversation. Bael, who's jaw had dropped, stared at the fairy in dismay. "_You've _got a fairy _too?_" He murmured, transfixed by the peculiar creature. Tally nodded vigorously with a smile. "Oh yeah! I forgot! Earlier he was with you. Wow, I feel bad I didn't really notice you before. I'm Bael." Noc flitted a little closer to the boy and made some sort of nodding motion. "It's all right, I know you humans don't take too kindly to us fairies anyways. I'm just glad you're so open-minded. I'm Noc." Tally looked at her fairy with a slightly puzzled expression. "Huh? Why are humans-"

"Shush, I'll explain later. Let the boy finish. Bael, please continue, you were explaining the situation with the fairy and Goron." Said Noc, just as curious as Tally.

The blonde-headed boy nodded and bit his lip, trying to decide where to begin. "Well, it all started about a month ago, late one night. Sometimes I don't sleep too well so I go for walks, and that night I was havin' really scary nightmares so I went on a walk, taking a little trail just outside the village. About a mile off, I heard this weird crying, so I figured I could investigate and see what it was. So I peeked around these boulders and found this Goron kid that was bleeding this orangey muck from all parts of his body; and he had a fairy with him too."

"I walked up to the Goron and asked what was wrong, but he just yelled at me and the fairy kept swooping down at me and hittin' me in the head. The Goron, though, seein' this, told the fairy to quit it and he asked me if I could help him. He said that him and his mom and dad had been attacked and separated when they were haulin' spring water up Death Montain by a bunch of humans. By then I felt really bad so I helped him up and took him to the abandoned iron mine a few miles from the village and got him some bandages. I've been taking care of him ever since then, and the fairy won't leave his side so we've all become real good pals."

"What are their names?" Tally asked quietly. "Bo-goro's the Goron and Iren's the fairy. Bo-goro was even named after Bo, our mayor. He said that Bo was a dear friend to the Gorons." Bael replied, crossing his legs and yawning. "So," Noc drawled, "how does Bo-goro know the story behind the Goron's separation? He's just a kid, I don't think the adults would tell their kids stuff like that."

Bael shrugged. "I think the Gorons treat their kids differently from human families. Bo-goro mentioned something 'bout how kids have more of a say in their government and are included more in decisions and such." Tally scratched her head and brought her legs closer into her, resting her chin on her knees. "Cool tattoos." Bael commented as Noc's light glanced off the shimmering green lines. After sitting in silence for what seemed like forever, Tally finally asked Bael, "Can I might Bo-goro and Iren, please?"

"Ohh, I don't know if they'd like that. Iren's _very _protective of Bo-goro, and Bo-goro is really scared of people. Why'd you want to meet them anyways?"

Tally thought for a moment. Why _did _she? "Well, I have a feeling that I can help him. You said he was separated from his parents, right? I'm going to Death Mountain anyways so I'm sure I could reunite him with his family." Bael raised his eyebrows. "_Really? _Holy cow, that would make him so happy..." The boy thought for a moment, biting his nails. At last, he looked up at Tally with a confident smile and nodded. "All right, but we've got to be quick and quiet. Mama may not be the lightest sleeper, but if we wake up the dogs 'round back, we're sure to get caught."

With an affirming nod from Tally, they departed from the from and tip-toed silently out the kitchen door. Once they were out in the open air, Bael glanced around before turning to Tally and Noc with his finger to his lips. Giving him a curt nod, they commenced tip-toeing only to stop abruptly when a low growl came from behind the lean-to on the side of the house. Tally froze, and Noc ducked behind her, nonetheless, Bael grabbed her wrist, a hint of fear in his eyes, and took off, leaving the dozing hound behind.

* * *

As they scaled the wooden gate and leapt down to the opposite side, Bael stopped and expertly scanned their surroundings, on the lookout for dangerous beasts or suspicious travelers. When he was certain they were alone, Bael picked up a thick tree branch and tore a strip of the bottom of his pants off and wrapped it around the top of the stick. He then stuck the cloth end into one of the large lanterns that flanked each side of the gate and waited until the makeshift torch was lit. Wildly impressed by Bael's natural ingenuity, Tally headed down the hill after him, following a trail that was worn down by both man and time; their feet occasionally stepping into shoe-sized depressions every now and then.

They walked in silence, the trail winding its way gradually down the hillside until they came across a fork in the road, and, without a moment's hesitation, Bael took to the left trail that led them up a rocky bluff. Following the trail up the rock-face grew dangerous as the trail began growing rather narrow and the bluff became very steep as they ascended. At last, the trail turned inward and fed into the large mouth of a cave that overlooked a great deal of the Faron Forest. Bael held out an arm to stop Tally and took a daring step into the inky darkness of the old mine.

"Bo-goro! Iren! It's me, Bael!" he shouted, his voice reverberating down the stone walls.

There was a moment's silence before a shrill voice replied, "'Bout time, Bael! We've been waiting!" The farm boy turned to his friends and nodded certainly, giving them the OK before they headed off into the black depths of the cave. Taking a few hesitant steps in, Tally was overwhelmed by the familiar sense of paranoia. Her body tensed up, she drew her arms into her and clasped her hands tightly like a frightened little child. _This is ridiculous! You can't just freeze up the second you see a shadow_, a stern voice scolded her in her mind. _I know, I know_, was Tally's response, _but I can't help it. I feel like I'm always being watched, like something's going to attack me._

_Yeah, well you're not being watched unless you are. That's just a part of darkness: not knowing. Everyone experiences it so get over it. You're being childish. _

_SO WHAT DO I DO?_

The stern voice sighed. _You embrace it. Just accept that it's natural, that nighttime is inevitable and darkness is just part of it. While there's light there must be dark._

Tally exhaled and opened her eyes. Bael and Noc were waiting patiently for her just a few yards away. "You coming, Tally?" Noc inquired earnestly; for once in his life the churlish fairy was being very courteous. He did sense Tally's distress, after all. It rolled off her in great volumes. Tally relaxed and took in a cleansing breath, replying shakily, "Coming."

When she joined them they continued on their way, traversing deeper into the mine, trudging through chilly pools of water and clambering down steep footwalls when necessary. Suddenly, the tunnel they had been following expanded and opened up into a giant chamber where the sound of gurgling water and slow crunching could be heard. A tiny pinprick of light floated near the other end of the room, illuminating enough of the shadowy silhouette by it to be able to identify it has a small Goron. The Goron, which appeared to be eating, took another bite of the rock and looked up, it's glittery eyes brightening at the sight of Bael.

"Bael! Friend, how are you?"

The lad grinned and hurried over to the two waiting, forgetting the two that were following. "Hiya, Bo, Iren, how've you guys been holdin' up?" The Goron nodded, waving the chunk of rock he was eating dismally. "All right, all right. Iren's been very grouchy lately, and he says it's because we're hiding, which doesn't make no sense. Could you explain again, Iren?" The fairy was about to reply, but stopped short at the sight of Tally and Noc at Bael's side. "_Who _are _they?" _

"Uh, um, they're, uh, friends, you see, that-"

"_FRIENDS_," Iren bellowed, interrupting Bael's babble, "WELL I'LL BE DAMNED! YOU DECIDED THAT BRINGING PEOPLE HERE WOULD HELP _KEEP _OUR COVER? I HAD TO GET ONTO BO THE OTHER DAY BECAUSE HE WAS WANDERING TOO FAR AND YOU BRING A GOD DAMN _HUMAN _HERE! Hell, I knew we couldn't trust you, Bael." Bael cringed and cowered like a whipped puppy at the fairy's words, hanging his head low as Iren ranted, hoping to explain when he was done. Noc, however, wasn't so quiet in expressing his thoughts. "Excuse me," He interjected, "but if you haven't noticed, I am a _fairy, _just like you. In fact, I'm the _human's _fairy, so shouldn't that be enough reason to trust us? I advise that you let Bael explain before you continue scolding him."

Iren immediately stopped and stared at Noc, before he was suddenly engulfed in an unexpected burst of light that illuminated the cathedral-like cavern. What replaced him was nothing except the very faint outline of a stout lad that quivered with rage. Noc, in turn, was engulfed in a burst of light and took on his other form. Iren, or at least, the outline of him, stormed over to Noc and bitterly spat, "Who do you think you are? You have no idea what we've been through, what's at stake. You're in no place to tell me what to do." Noc, who was surprisingly calm, kept a neutral countenance and replied back, "Who do you think _you _are? You are a fairy, as am I, living in the same corrupt world along with everyone else. What makes you so different?" There was a moment of silence; the air laced heavily with tension and suspense.

"I have a Goron partner, that's why I'm different. And whether he's of an important Goron family or not, the Goron's will still cause an uproar if he doesn't make it home, and my duty is to take him home."

Tally's heart was touched as something deep within her stirred. "Then it's my duty, too." Tally said plainly, as if it were as natural as breathing air. She swore she felt Iren's eyes boring into her's as Noc's wraith-like form turned towards her; his face showing he understood her motives. "What did you say?"

"It's my duty to collect the shards of the Seal, and to do that, I need to reunite the country. By bringing Bo-goro home, I think that'd be a good first step. He lives in Death Mountain and that's where I'm headed; it'd be ridiculously stupid not to help." Tally's hazel eyes shone earnestly as she spoke. "Iren, I'm begging you, please allow Noc and I to escort you two home."

Iren was silent. "Why should we trust you?" he asked solemnly, Bo-goro watching him intently, studying him, almost. "I trust them," the Goron said slowly, "why can't you, Iren? I miss Ma and Po." The outline of Iren's shoulders went slack as he sighed in defeat. "All right. Fine. Whatever. We need to know _everything, _though, ok?"

Tally nodded, relief welling up inside of her as she stole a glance from Noc, who shared mutual feelings. As their eyes locked for a moment, he smiled quietly. She was turning out to be rather useful after all.

* * *

Bael, who had been silent throughout the entire conversation, hastily collected bits of old wood that littered the entrance of the old mine and returned shortly, setting the pieces of timber up in a teepee shaped pile before setting it afire with his torch. It took a while, but thankfully, the enormous cavern was alight with the warm orange glow from the fire. Taking in the area, along with the Goron and his fairy (which had shrunken back to his normal form), Tally finally saw what the Goron actually looked like. With a tan body of what appeared to be made of rock, Bo had a very strong posture, even for his short height. Bo had large, glittery, purple eyes, and fat, clay-coloured lips, and atop his head were beige rocks that could possibly be identified as rock hair. Or at least to Tally that's what they appeared to be. The rest of his body was round and stout, but still somewhat childish. He was a strange specimen indeed.

Yet, despite his odd appearance, Bo-goro was just about the friendliest person, or, being, Tally and Noc had ever met. He was quick to answer their questions in full detail, and he scolded Iren when he insulted the two or scoffed at them. His warm and unassuming attitude soon made what Bael said earlier in Bo-goro's defense reasonable; the small Goron wouldn't hurt a fly.

"So, Bo, what's Death Mountain like?" Tally asked, spewing out questions like a free-flowing waterfall. The Goron didn't seem to mind; he rather liked the attention. "It's a very big mountain that's red and black. It's hollow on the inside and that's where Goron City is. There are lots and lots of rooms; I get lost a lot because everything's like a maze. There's a big statue of some old Goron and there are shops all around it. It's like a big market on the bottom floor! It's really cool, my sister and I always used to go there...Anyways, past the Council Room there's the Fire Temple where the old Gorons go pray to Din and Eldin; sometimes we all go there to pray but other than that, no one ever goes there."

"And why not?" Noc asked eagerly, intrigued by Bo-goro's description. Bo-goro, however, shrugged carelessly, "Dunno. It's just a volcano, I don't know what's so special about it. I guess it gets kinda dangerous down there when it's getting all riled up, but to me, it feels really nice in there." Tally and Bael shared a shocked look as their jaws dropped. "Death Mountain is a _volcano?_" Noc queried in amazement, but the little Goron just smiled goofily and shrugged once more. "Yeah. It's not as hot as everyone thinks, though."

Tally shook her head in disbelief and smiled at the young Goron. "What's your culture like? I mean, what do you do everyday? Play? Work?" Tally inquired, everyone's attention fixed on Bo-goro, waiting impatiently for an answer. Apparently, she was asking all the right questions. "Oh, my life is fun! Everyday we get to play in the hot springs and race down the mountain; but we can't go past the gate or else, you know, the humans will get us," he added, a bit quietly, but then he started again with a cheery change of mood, "but the mountain has plenty of room. We always play hide and seek and make obstacle courses for each other, but we _have _to stay away from Bomb Flowers, or else we'll blow up! Just like poor Ogro, who got blown off Death Mountain and fell in the ocean, never to return, all because he tripped on a Bomb Flower. Scary, right?"

Tally and Noc stifled giggles whereas Bael gawked and asked, wide-eyed, "Are you serious?" Bo nodded solemnly. "Oh yeah. It was some time ago, but it can still happen! That's why only the grown-ups deal with Bomb Flowers. They're the strongest. They have to be to become a man, anyways." Tally and Noc quit their sniggering. "How do you do that?" She asked curiously, intrigued. "Every six moon cycles, when the moon is big and full, we have a festival where the young male Gorons test their strength by doing a bunch of stuff, like stopping huge boulders and, especially, rolling through a whole _row _of Bomb Flowers. It's always really exciting and a happy time of year."

"Oh, wow! That's incredible! Do-"

"All right, quit asking the kid so many questions," Iren snapped in exasperation, "to be honest, I think it should be _you, _Tally, answering the questions. We don't really know all that much about you."

Noc glared at Iren and was about to make a snarky remark but it was Tally who spoke instead. "You know, I think you're right, Iren. Go ahead, ask away." Taken aback by her easygoing response, Iren fumbled with his words for a moment. "Well, where are you from?"

Only Noc noticed Tally flinch and whispered helpfully in her ear. "Tookuru Island. It's pretty far from Hyrule." Bo-goro nodded knowingly, as if he were familiar with the name, however, Iren was not and was confused for a moment. He settled on ignoring her answer's oddity.

"Why are you collecting the Seals of Time, then? You're a foreigner, why should you care?"

_Seals of Time. _Was that what Zelda and her mother called them? No, they just called them Seals. Then why was this fairy calling them the Seals of _Time? _Puzzled, she asked, "Is that what they're called? Seals of Time?"

Iren was getting suspicious. "Yes," he answered slowly, "that was their original names, when they were first created. How do you know of them? You haven't exactly answered my first question yet."

"Ok, ok, hang on a second. Let me explain." Tally inhaled deeply and rubbed the tiredness from her eyes. She then began her story, how she awoke to find Noc and was taken to Forest Haven. How Princess Zelda and Queen Ursala came to her in a dream and gave her the necklace that could let them talk to each other. How the Deku Tree gave her the Forest Seal and how it was absorbed into her skin, appearing as swirling, plant-like tattoos on her feet, and how she and Noc came to know Bael and were eventually brought to the abandoned mine that served as a hideout for the two.

When Tally was done explaining, the air was filled with silence and contemplation as both Iren and Bo-goro digested her words. "The queen and princess requested your assistance _themselves. _Wow...," Iren breathed in dismay, his translucent wings drooping as if what Tally said weighed him down. Bo-goro absently ground the dark coloured rock he had been eating between his fingers, turning it into dust that collected in a small pile by his feet. "Like I said before, I trust her, Iren. She's good."

"But how do you just, _know? _We just met her and you would trust her with our lives? I just, I'm not sure..." muttered Iren.

Bo gawked at his fairy. "You don't feel the way she walks?"

"Huh?"

"With every step she took, she walked with, um, sympathy I suppose, and curiosity, and bravery, and...innocence." Bo-goro said with a breathlessness that proved he believed in the words he spoke. He was years beyond himself, wiser than even his own guardian.

"With empathy...?" Noc murmured, a bit to himself, but a little more towards the Goron. "What's that?"

Noc gestured vaguely. "To be understanding, sympathetic..." Bo-goro's face lit up as he tossed the half-ground rock into the air, scattering the thick dust around him. "That's it! Like Tally understood us even before she knew us...It's odd but you're not like any other human, are you?" Having addressed the girl herself, Tally shrugged shyly. "No, I guess not."

An overwhelming sense of defeat overcame Iren as he finally understood that what Bo had been saying all along, was true.


End file.
